The Long Distance
The author of the film wants to make a documentary about her search for her father. Through the film, Alina hopes to meet her father, whom she has never seen. Alina asks her mother about him; who he was; where he came from; and where they lived. Alina's mother tells from memory where he lived, where he came from, and the address of his house. Alina decides to go there. She has never been there. It's a long drive. It's cold. The trip takes 8-10 hours. On the way, Alina gets different thoughts, doubts, and resentments. Alina often stops the car to take pictures of local people, nature, and life. This is how she familiarizes herself with the area. Alina gets to the village. The search for her father takes a long time, and eventually Alina finds her father's house through the villagers. Alina starts to get nervous. She arrives at her father's house. A stranger meets Alina at the front door. It turns out that the father is not there. The stranger/relative tells her that he has a new family and lives in the city where she lives. Alina talks about herself, and about who she is. Alina feels uncomfortable in a strange house, and realizing that she will never meet her father anyway, she returns to the city to her mother.
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Alina BaitokovaDirector
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Alina BaitokovaWriter
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Alina BaitokovaProducer
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Alina BaitokovaKey Cast
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Project Title (Original Language):Uzak Jol
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Project Type:Documentary
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Runtime:21 minutes 43 seconds
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Completion Date:December 25, 2024
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Production Budget:1,000 USD
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Country of Origin:Kyrgyzstan
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Country of Filming:Kyrgyzstan
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Language:Kirghiz
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:Yes
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Student Project:Yes - American University of Central Asia
Alina Baitokova is a photographer and filmmaker from Central Asia, born and raised in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. She studied cinema and media arts in American University of Central Asia. In her films, she often explores the complexities of intergenerational conflicts and the female identity within the context of Central Asia. She is part of a local independent film club called "Tartaly", where they make experimental films, exploring form, style and storytelling, working on an idea and turning it into a script. Recently her project “Red Heels” was selected for partial funding in the Youth Film Forum "Umut" 2024. Alina's thesis work "Long Distance" was supported by a grant from the Centre for Civic Engagement and Student Intellectual Life Committee. Her film "The Film That Would Be, But Was Not" won the award for best documentary produced in a course in 2024. Alina received a nomination for "Best Student Film" at the 48 Hour Film Race 2023 for the film "The Happiness Salesman". Within the framework of the Central Asian Summer Documentary School she made two films, "Bishkek I love you", "I will play". Her second film "Zamandash", co-directed with Aiturgan Ainakulova, took part in the Central Asian Independent Film Festival "Cinema Love'' in Tashkent - 2023. Her first film project “Aidar In His Universe", about children with disabilities, was supported by the Center for Civic Engagement Grant and selected for the Bir Duino Kyrgyzstan - 2022 Film Festival.
Alina is a student and lives with her mother. Until the age of 7, Alina grew up with her grandmother and never saw her father. For Alina, her mother replaced her father's status, and because of this Alina developed such character traits as determination, independence and even distrust of men. It is important for her to decide if there is a need to have a relationship with her father. Аlong with that, she wants to close the gestalt that is preventing her from moving on.